Friday, November 7, 2008

Here's For Having One's Cake And Eating It Also

The polls have closed, the recounts are underway, and 53% of you voted that you want me to hold nothing back about the upcoming third book. Of course that leaves 47% who would prefer at least some discretion on my part.

I admit I'm surprised that so many people voted (thank you, all 77 of you) and that there was a majority choice.

For the past week, I've given a lot of thought to how to handle the discussing/non-discussing of the book, and I came up with a solution, which will please me, if no one else.

I created a new blog. As of the moment, there is one entry, which is a synopsis of where the third book is at this point in my brain. Please keep in mind, I haven't begun to write it, and things will change many times before the book sees print, hopefully in the spring of 2010. Even the title has changed a few times, going from The World I Live In, to This World I Live In, to This World We Live In.

Which reminds me. Before I give you the link and all that, I need a nickname for the book. My editor came up with LAWKI for Life As We Knew It, and you decided on d&g for the dead and the gone. This World We Live In could be called TWWLI, but you got to admit it lacks magic.

Where was I? Oh yeah, blogging. What I'm going to do is blog about how the writing is going, no doubt describing various parts of the plot, right here. Then I'll move the entries over to the other blog, but this is my primary blog, and writing this book will be my primary activity for the next few months. So there are going to be many spoilers here. But if you don't want to know everything, you won't have to.

Now here's the other important thing. I don't want to know what you think about the synopsis. Maybe you'll like it or maybe you won't, but I'm a lot better off if I don't know. Lets say for the sake of argument there are 4 billion people on earth. If 4 billion people minus one should post comments saying the book is potentially the most brilliant thing ever written, I'll obsess over that minus one person. I'm going to be a lot happier if I can simply imagine everybody adores it, and not have to worry that maybe someone out there doesn't.

I've set the alternative blog up so comments can't be left (I hope; at least that was my intention). But I don't want you leaving comments, not positive, negative, or neutral, here. None. Comment on how clever I am to have come up with a way that people who wish to know all, can, and those who don't, can avoid much of it. Comment (please) on potential nicknames. But no praise, criticism, or suggestions on This World We Live In. If I want them, I'll ask for them, and most likely I will, since I'm never shy about asking you for help. But this is the most vulnerable time for me and I need you to be kind and let me make my mistakes on my own.

Boy, I talk a lot.

Here's the link. I hope you enjoy it (just don't tell me!): http://thirdmoonbook.blogspot.com/2008/11/basic-plot-elements-of-this-world-we.html

13 comments:

Mr. Cavin said...

You read the polling results precisely the way I did: forty-one for knowing all, thirty-six for some measure of temperance. And with consideration, you managed to come up with a solution for everyone.

Actually, I only followed your reasoning till the sixth paragraph. Let me see. You are planning to put all of the spoilers on both blogs? First this one and then the other one? What is the point of that? Initially, I was worried I was going to have to stop reading this blog here, and then for five paragraphs I was relieved of that worry. But now I am not so sure again. Did I misunderstand?

Why don't you just put the spoiler stuff on the new blog from the git-go, and not move it over from here? Then, in a year or whatever, when the new book is published (I recommend: WWLN, ignoring the article and employing license plate language for the dangling preposition), I can head over there and read all of the appropriately titled or labeled posts to learn about its interesting genesis.

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Hi Mr. Cavin-

I considered the duel blogs, one for the new book and one for the rest of my life, but the fact is the new book is going to be the rest of my life for the next few months. This blog, which I happen to be extremely fond of, would wither and die if I couldn't write about what's most important to me.

So I'm afraid people who don't want to know the various directions the new book will be taking are going to have to skim or jump or avoid.

I grant you, I love to know the future. I prefer knowing how movies are going to turn out before I see them. So I'm not spoiler sensitive.

But the reality is the new book won't be coming out for over a year, and by the time it does, it will have evolved in ways I can't begin to predict (or write about) now.

So this is the best I can do. I hope you can co-exist with it.

And I'll consider WWLN, which sounds like a bit like a radio station!

Mrs. Corbett said...

Susan,
I think the alternate blog is a brilliant idea. I confess I've tried to write stories before, but since the very first time I tried, I was far too worried about what the readers would think. You do want readers to like what you're writing, but there needs to be a balance that I never found.

It would be near impossible to complete a tale if the writer gets bogged down with reader input. So I do like the idea of the alternative blog with readers not commenting likes or dislikes--just reading.

As far as abbreviation suggestions, 51 (WWLI would be world war 51 with Latin numerals), We Live, or Live

Patti

Mrs. Corbett said...

One more suggestion: This

Sydney Lakewood said...

Susan,

How bout Twilly for TWWLI? That way, you don't have to cap all the letters all the time and you can say it like it's a word?

Another Susan

Mr. Cavin said...

Well you know how the old saw goes: "you can only experience something for the first time once." That entails coming to it as cold as possible for me. Those carefully built revelations are more interesting in the experiencing of them than in the mechanics. At least the first time around. I want to be manipulated by the process of following the linear trail. I want to be surprised--ha--the way the author intended for me to be!

I can't say I'm not a little disappointed, because I like reading this blog a lot too. I'll check back in a few months from now, once I think you've finished the book. Then I'll go back and read it all sometime in late Spring, 2010 or so. After that, I'll move to Sarajevo. See how I surprised you with that?

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Hi Mrs. Corbett and Susan and Mr. Cavin-

I've got to start making a list of potential nicknames. Currently, I'm favoring Twilly, just because it's so cute. It would also make a great name for a kitten if I should ever get one.

But I remain open to all suggestions. About title abbreviations, that is, not kittens.

I'm sorry we'll be losing you (temporarily, I hope) Mr. Cavin, although I certainly do understand. Sarajevo, huh. Well, you do travel all over the place. And while you're making plans for one big move to another, I'll be seeing how Miranda does in her house in Pennsylvania.

Anonymous said...

Given that the blog is clearly safe from opinion-venturing, perhaps it is time to remove the removal of the less than heartwarming caveat.

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Hallo Anonymous-

I have now edited the greetings message over at thirdmoonbook.

See how easily I can be swayed by criticism!

Mrs. Corbett said...

Although I came up with a few abbreviation ideas, when I read Another Susan's suggestion of Twilly, I thought it was pretty darn good. Since it is also a good name for a kitten, my vote goes to Twilly.

BTW, one of my students thought we should get you a kitten, but I told her that, while it was a very nice idea, the plane ride might not be a pleasant experience.

Jenna said...

TWWLI sounds like "twillie" in my head.. could you insist there is an invisible I in there?

I am in a committee called the Young Adult Librarians Round Table, or YART. We spent actual meeting time coming to the conclusion that our L is there, it's just invisible and silent. Because ya-lart was just stupid.

Anonymous said...

i love all of your books susan so addicting and i feel guilty eating alot after i read them-Bess Bartlett also known as freewebs.com/babyhuey127195

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Hi Anonymous (aka Bess Bartlett)-

Thank you for your comment and welcome to the blog.

I'm glad to inspire addiction and guilt. What a delicious combination!